StudyGroup 101, Larends, etc...

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Okay, I have officially applied to EC, my transcripts are being sent and I have my license copies ready to drop in the mail.

I am beginning with NC-1, which I can take before paying the enrollment fee...I think there is another one I can take as well but I am not sure...I will call EC on Monday.

My question to all of you is...where to start? I found the outline on EC for NC-1 and I plan on buying the practice tests...but who studies with StudyGroup 101 and/or Larends? Is one more short, sweet and to the point than the other? Does anybody just review files from Yahoo groups, do the practice tests and then Test?

Any suggestions on how to organize, prioritze and get started would greatly be appreciated. Thanks for all your help!

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jenniferlynn98:

Make sure you're doing the right curriculum. I'm not sure what the new outlines say, but I think the other courses start with Health Differences.

I may be wrong... hopefully someone doing the new curriculum will chime in and verify what you need to be viewing.

I use a variety of resources.. I find that the notes that you download, buy etc.. are good, but I hate the formats that they are typically in. I like clean cut -table - list type formats, and personally, I think the notes are a mess!

I always use a The College Network or Chancellor study guide. The Chancellor's sometimes come with audio (which I never used) and the TCN is just a binder with black/white typing. (It gets boring fast!) I also have the reccommended Med/Surg book (an edition back) and two others that I've hardly used, if at all. I already had the Pharmacology book since I took a course in that prior to enrolling in Excelsior. I haven't used it.

NC 1, 3 I used pretty much just TCN.. Maybe Study Group 101's a little on each. NC 4 I used Chancellor's and referred heavily to my med/surg text. NC 6 I used Chancellor's, with very little outside of it and got a D.

For NC 5 I am using Mental Health Nursing by Prentice Health Nursing and Saunder's COMPREHENSIVE NCLEX review.. I would strongly recommend purchasing that. It's probably equivalent to the Study Group 101/L. Arends notes and makes format people like me, happy!

That has been my experience/resources. Hope it helps!

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Yes, as pp said, make sure you are doing the right curriculum. I am under the "new" one and our tests are called different things although they contain most of the same stuff. Do you know which one you are? The first test is called Essentials in Nursing Care Health Safety since LPNs can skip the Health Differences one with proof of licensure.

Anyway, I ordered the med surg book from ecampus and some others from amazon (I went where it was cheaper). I didn't have to buy them all because my local library had the new editions available for my use:D I also didn't buy any extras- I simply went on yahoo groups and looked at the hundreds of files on there that had to do which what I was studying at the time. I have always been a good student and passed all the exams except NC 5 aka Health Differences 2- I realize now that I didn't study hard enough the 1st time around. Anyway, I used my library for all it was worth. I checked out anatomy and physiology for dummies, NCLEX RN books and a bunch of other resources to enhance my knowledge. I find the textbooks so darn boring. Do what works for you.

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Well, my study plan was very simple. Practice exams are definitely worth the money. And take the study guides and mark a post-it note with the text and chapter. Then go through the texts and stick the corresponding one to the chapter you need to read.

The rest, I didn't use.

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Thanks for the quick responses! I will call EC on Monday and make sure I am doing the right exam!

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

For NC1 I used a college network guide (bought off ebay), Studygroup 101 notes and my LPN textbooks. I passed with an A. The studygroup 101 notes I felt were the most helpful because I could carry them with me and study when I could. They also had TONS of practice questions. Good luck!

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